Upload
others
View
1
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Principal’s Message
September, 2013 Hoover Happenings
We hope you have had a super start to the 2013-14 school year!
Students have been transitioning back into the school routine
extremely well and are focused on making their academics a top
priority. We are piloting the ELA Modules in several of our ELA
classes and are teaching math modules in all of our mathematics
classes. The modules will help our students to make shifts and
prepare them well for the increased rigor presented to them in the
Common Core Learning Standards. There is much a parent can do
to help their child adapt to the common core. There is a wealth of
information for parents and families on the engageny.org website.
Among the resources is an explanation of how parents can help
students work with the CCLS “Shifts.” The shifts in a nutshell as
presented on engageny.org and are as follows for ELA & Math:
Welcome back, Hoover families!
Mrs. Persico 1
Miss Halgash 4
Counseling 4, 5
Social Studies 8 6
Health Office 6,7
Computers 7
Career Day 8
Art Dept. 9
Music Dept. 10
LOTE Dept 11
Technology 11
Inside this Issue
“The object of
education is
prepare the young
to educate
themselves
throughout their
lives”
Robert Maynard
Hutchins
Page 3
Hoover Happenings
We must work together to ensure your child’s academic success. Please help us to
keep open lines of communication between school and home. Do not hesitate to
contact your child’s teachers, counselor, or administrator. We are all in this
together!
Hoover has also been roaring with activities and has many events planned in the
upcoming months. Continuing on with our school ROARS code, we will soon
be debuting the mobile Dragon Scale Store. Students who exemplify the ROARS
code will be awarded dragon scales by staff. These dragon scales will allow
students to purchase prizes from the store. And although there are many great
prizes, our ultimate goal is to move our students towards the intrinsic reward of
doing what’s right because it is the right thing to do. We ask for your continued
support in our endeavor to nurture the whole child. In doing so, please
encourage your child to get involved in school. There are so many opportunities
among which are sports and extracurricular activities in which your child can
participate: basketball, soccer, volleyball, student council, yearbook, glee club,
and more. Remember, an involved child is a successful student!
Lastly, I have included some important dates for your reference. Please mark
your calendar for future planning. Additionally, subsequent editions of the
Hoover Happenings will be made available online only. If you do not have access
to the internet, please call our main office to arrange for a hard copy to be sent
home. Once again, welcome back and may this year be the best yet!
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:
October:
3rd—Early Release Day—1:00
4th—Early Emergency Dismissal
Drill—3:14
11th—Career Day—8th Grade
14th—Columbus Day—No school
22nd—PTA Meeting 6:30
25th—Picture Re-takes
November:
5th—Superintendent’s Conference
Day—No school
11th—Veteran’s Day—No school
19th—7th grade Scholar Breakfast
& Book Battle Jeopardy
20th—8th Grade Scholar Breakfast
& PTA meeting 6:30
21st—Early Release Day 1:00 and
Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:30-
4:00 & 5:00-7:30
28th/29th Thanksgiving Recess
December
4th—Early Release Day—1:00
6th—Spelling Bee
12th—Holiday Concert
23rd—31st—Winter Recess
from
News from the 6th Grade Counseling Center
Page 4
Hoover Happenings
Dear Parents/Guardians,
On behalf of the entire Hoover Middle School faculty and staff, we would like to
welcome you back to school. Whether it’s your child’s first day at school or
returning for another year at Hoover Middle, the start of a new school year is an
exciting time indeed.
We are very proud of our achievements here at Hoover Middle School. They are
all due to an excellent staff of dedicated men and women, a wonderful student
body, highly supportive parents and an exemplary school district and community.
We greatly appreciate your trust and support in providing your child with the best
education.
Parental involvement makes a huge difference in a child’s success, yet it can be as
simple as discussing current affairs with your child or having a family conversation
about the school day over dinner. Your participation is the key and you are always
welcome to give suggestions.
Our doors are always open to you!
Sincerely,
Ms. Kami Halgash
Assistant Principal’s Message
Dear Parents and Guardians of 6th graders,
Welcome to Hoover Middle School! I hope that your son or daughter’s year has
been off to a good start. I will be working with your child throughout middle
school as their counselor. The role of a school counselor has changed
dramatically over the years. My role is to provide a linkage between home and
school. I serve as a consultant to you and your child’s teachers as well as provide
individual, group, and crisis counseling to all 6th graders if needed. I look
forward to getting to know each and every 6th grader.
and working together
towards setting goals for their
future. Students in FACS
classes will be using the
“Career Cruising” software
program online and will be
reviewing the results with
their counselor. The “Career
Cruising” software guides
students through a series of
questions that results in a list
of potential career choices.
This very detailed online
program allows students to
My name is Elizabeth Cipolla
and I will be your child’s
counselor for the remainder
of 7th grade and continue on
through grade 8. Middle
school is an exciting time,
full of learning experiences.
However some of these
situations may be challenging
for students as well. As they
grow and develop socially, I
will be available to assist
them in decision making,
developing positive and
healthy peer relationships
investigate their chosen
careers further by providing
detailed information on job
descriptions, education,
salary, job outlook and
related occupations. I am
hoping to continue to build
character education with
activities throughout the
school year. I am looking
forward to working with
you and your child on a
successful completion of
Middle School!!
Hello parents of 7th grade students!
Page 5
Hoover Happenings
12 Ways to Help Your Child Do Well in Middle School:
1. Share a positive attitude
2. Get to know the new school
together
3. Set up a study space at home
4. Teach your child to be organized
5. Help your child learn good social
skills (Listening, cooperation,
managing anger, being polite)
6. Talk about bullying (types, signs,
and what to do if it happens)
7. Learn school policies (Look in
agenda & on the website
8. Talk about peer pressure (How to
get out of an uncomfortable
situation
9. Encourage your child to get
involved
10. Stay on top of your child’s
schoolwork
11. Be an active parent
12. Stay connected with your child
Mrs. Kathy Vittum, 6th grade counselor
News From the 6th Grade Counseling Center, continued...
News From the 7th Grade Counseling Center
It has been a busy start in
Mrs. Halt’s eighth grade
social studies class! We
will be reviewing the
Emancipation
Proclamation and other
key events during the
Civil War. Our next unit
will be on
Reconstruction. The
students will work on
their first document
based question next
month. We are very
excited about this school
year. I want to encourage
our eighth graders to
work hard in the
classroom and get
involved in
extracurricular activities.
I would love to have a lot
of 8th graders get
involved in student
council. We will work on
a variety of school-wide
activities. It has been a
great start to the school
year. Our 8th graders are
motivated and ready to
challenge themselves!
They are ready to make a
difference. Good luck!
News from Mrs. Halt, Grade 8 Social Studies
News from the Health Office — Fall 2013
“Learning is a
treasure that will
follow its owner
everywhere”
...unknown
Page 6
Hoover Happenings
If you have a child in 6th grade who has not received his/her Tdap vaccine
(required Tetanus & Pertussis booster for school) please contact the Health Office.
Per New York State Education Law, parents/guardians have to submit either proof
of the vaccine, or an appointment to receive one, with the intent of returning the
paperwork the next school day. This vaccine is usually given around the time of a
child’s 11th birthday. If you child does not turn 11 until October, November,
December, or beyond, you most likely will not be able to get an appointment until
after the birthday. Please notify the Health Office of this appointment. If you are
in need of a clinic to obtain this vaccine, please contact the Health Office for
further information.
Please note that all medications, whether for emergency purposes (i.e. Epi-pen,
Glucagon, Benadryl, inhaler), as well as any over-the-counter medications for pain,
cough (including cough drops), and cold/allergy symptoms require a note from
your child’s health care provider. Students should not be carrying these
medications on them without medical documentation, and are in direct violation
of the Ken-Ton School District Zero Tolerance Policy for Drugs.
Parents of 7th graders are reminded to turn in their child’s required physical if
they have not done so already. If you have an upcoming appointment for one,
please notify the Health Office of when your child will be going. Most health care
providers will print you a copy of the physical at the time of the visit, but if you
need additional forms, please contact the Health Office. Please note that many
health care providers may charge you a fee for paperwork requested after the time
of the well visit, so it is in your best interest to ask for any paperwork at the appoint-
ment.
All green emergency cards must be completely filled out, signed by a parent/
guardian, and returned to the Health Office. Please make sure that all phone num-
bers, addresses, and contact information is correct. In case of emergency regarding
your child, it is extremely vital that we have this information. If you are in need of
another green card, please contact the Health Office for one.
There is a family flu shot night for students and their families on October 9, 2013
from 4 pm-6:30 pm at the Franklin Middle School cafeteria. Information was re-
cently sent home regarding this event.
Health Office News, Continued...
Computer Class News
Attitude is
everything at
Hoover
Middle
School
Page 7
Hoover Happenings
7th and 8th graders take 10 weeks of computer class at HMS. It is my goal for
students to become proficient in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Publisher, and
PowerPoint. 7th grade students complete a project using Photostory 3 for
Windows and 8th graders complete a research-based project on a national park of
their choice. In addition, students learn to be safe online through an Internet
Safety and Digital Citizenship curriculum designed for middle school students.
They also use several web 2.0 tools to create documents and complete projects
that will prepare students for the work that will be expected of them in high
school and beyond. I look forward to working with your children!
Mrs. Stillman We’re on the web
The counselors worked very hard this summer preparing for the beginning of the
2013-2014 school year. New registrations and the preparation for our incoming
sixth graders made for a busy summer! Thank you to Mrs. Kieffer for doing such
a great job on the schedules; what a task that was this summer. Thank you to the
parents for being understanding with some of the scheduling issues.
I can’t believe how quickly the 8th graders have grown up. It felt like just
yesterday that they were starting 6th grade and getting acquainted with middle
school. It has been a pleasure to watch your child grow up over the last two years.
We have an exciting year ahead in 8th grade, and I look forward to making this a
great year .
On October 11, 2013 from 9:00 to 10:30, am Hoover Middle School will be
hosting its 3rd Annual Career Day. Students will select three careers that they are
interested in learning more about and then will have the opportunity to talk with
the person in that career field in a small group for about 15 minutes. We are so
lucky to have more than 30 career fields available for students to choose from.
Our Ken-Ton community, BOCES, and our own Hoover Middle School staff
family members have generously dedicated time out of their day to meet and talk
with 8th grade students. We are anticipating that Career Day will be a
tremendous success because of the support of our school, teachers, and
community members. If you have a chance, please feel free to stop by and join in
the festivities. Please feel free to contact Mrs. LaRoach with any questions at 874-
8405, extension 3, or by email at [email protected]
Let’s have a great school year!
Mrs. LaRoach
Hoover’s 3rd Annual Career Day!
Page 8
Hoover Happenings
Greetings from Hoover Art teachers, Mr. Kubala and Mrs. Mihelbegel. We are
looking forward to providing your children relevant, exciting and challenging new
Art experiences this year. This includes a 6th grade written Art Critique, a 7th
grade drawing from observation and an 8th grade art final. All of these assessments
are given district wide. When visiting Hoover, please check out the student art of
display. Perhaps your son or daughter’s artwork is featured.
Congratulations to Amber Mowers, Amber Kwiatowski, Olivia Wood, Abbie Paul,
Marianna Casillas, Alexis Cimino, Kaitlyn Chimento, Dion Howard, Yaseen
Hussain, Hope Wicks, Oscar Machias, Nadim Kfoury and Tim Snyder. Their work
was on display at “Healing Hearts: From Hope to Hurt” an anti-bullying art display
in the Albright-Knox Education Department, from August 26th to September 28th.
This powerful show featured artwork that also illustrated some of Hoover’s
ROARS themes.
ART ALERT! The Albright-Knox Art Gallery offers FREE ADMISSION for you
and your entire family every first Friday of the month. Enjoy the Albright for
FREE, Friday, October 4, or Friday, November 1, from 10 am to 10 pm. These
events include activities for children and entertainment for the entire family.
Check out the latest event listings at www.albrightknox.org or call 882-8700. the
gallery is on Elmwood Avenue across from Buffalo State College and its First
Fridays are among the finest free monthly art events in the entire country. Mark your
calendars and enjoy—we are fortunate to have such a great cultural resource so close
to our community!
Art Department News
Each day
learn something
new, and just as
important,
relearn something
old
Robert Brault
Page 9
Hoover Happenings
“Notes” from the Music Department: Mrs. Kwitowski, Ms. Welfare,
Miss Cartwright, and Mrs. Hasselback
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that music and other rhythmic stimuli can alter mental states in
predictable ways and even heal damaged brains. Rhythmic music may change brain function and treat a range
of neurological conditions, including attention deficit disorder and depression. “Listening to music seems to be
able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication, in many circumstances,” said symposium
director, Gabe Turow. Similar studies have found that rhythmic light and sound therapy helped struggling
students achieve a significant improvement in their grades. In addition, anecdotal evidence suggests that
increased blood flow evident on bran scans during music listening could also help victims of brain damage
regain cognitive function. “It’s too easy to forget how fundamental rhythm is in so many things and how
important musical rhythm can be, “ said symposium participant Patrick Suppes, the Lucie stern Professor of
Philosophy, Emeritus, at Stanford, who studies brainwaves and language cognition. (Article written by E.
Saarman)
Hoover Happenings
Page 10
We extend a warm welcome to our “new” teacher, Mrs. Lisa Hasseback! She is our half-time general music
instructor for grades 6, 7, and 8. She also teaches half the day at Hoover Elementary. Many parents with
students that attended Jefferson will already know her...she is a great teacher, and we are lucky to have her as
part of our music-making team!
In general music, classes this year Ms. Welfare and Mrs. Hasselback are exposing students to a wide variety
of music experiences including playing instruments, composing original music, and studying past and
present musicians! Already this year the 8th graders have studied West African drumming and written their
own call/response pieces. The 7th graders are busy reviewing rhythms from last year and have begun
applying their knowledge and skills to creating a “STOMP comp.” 6th graders are playing rhythms on
instruments and will soon write their own compositions as well!
Our performing ensembles are up and running. At last count, there were over 250 students registered for
one or more of our groups! WOW—we are so excited. A huge thank you goes out to all the parents who
continue to show support of children’s choice to perform. Adjusting your morning schedules to enable your
child’s participation does not go unnoticed– THANK YOU! We are thankful that, just as we do, you
believe in the positive effects that music performance has on learning and brain development!
Speaking of music and the brain, take a look at this brief excerpt from a report by neurological scientists and
ethnomusicologists at Stanford University that focused on rhythm and its effects on brain activity. It
actually shows that rhythm is good for you! You can access the entire study by going to news.stanford.edu
and searching “Feeling the Beat: Symposium Explores the Therapeutic Effects of Rhythmic Music.”
Happy fall to all! See you at our winter concert on the evening of December 12th!
LOTE at Hoover
The Hoover Middle Technology Education Department has started the school year in an exciting
way with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Hoover’s 7th and 8th graders have started off the year learning
the engineering design process. In 7th grade, students are assuming the role of a structural engineer
while designing model structures that will be tested under extreme compression. Hoover’s 8th
graders are currently designing “crazy contraptions” which is a project based around Rube
Goldberg’s wacky cartoons. The 6th graders at Hoover are currently reviewing standard
measurement and learning how to technically draw while designing an air racer. We encourage you
to talk to your children about what they are learning in our technology classrooms.
News from the Technology Department
Germany
France
Spain
The LOTE department at Hoover Middle School welcomes all 7th and
8th grade students to the 2013-2014 school year. We are very excited
and pleased at the enthusiasm our students are showing for learning a
second language. Together we will explore the wonderful world of
learning another language and its culture.
All students who successfully complete two units of study in a language
other than English will receive 1 high school credit. It is our hope that
our students enjoy the many benefits of learning a second language.
One of these benefits includes the ability to more easily solve problems
that involve misleading cues. We look forward to opening the world of
languages with all its amazing benefits to our amazing students.
Frau Boehm, Frau Crusan, Senora Haseley, Madame Kowal, and
Senora Woltz
Hoover Happenings
Page 11